Britt Hedman Ahlström

Högskolan Väst/University West, Trollhättan Sweden · Department of Health Sciences, Section for nursing – graduate level

Purpose Work readiness and the ability to change how work is conducted are key dimensions of employability. This study focuses on alumni from the social psychiatric care (SPC) programme at University West in Trollhättan, Sweden. As their work readiness and work-changing abilities have not been studied to this point, the purpose was to explore the e...

Objectives The aim was to gain a deeper understanding of the meaning of reconciliation as a concept in palliative care. Terminal illnesses affect almost all aspects of life and being close to death may lead to a need for reconciliation. The end of life is stressful on an existential level for both patients and relatives. It can therefore be of rele...

The COVID-19 pandemic has shown varying effects on adolescents’ mental health, psychosocial functioning, risk behaviours, and victimisation. This study aims to examine the changes reported by a sample of Swedish adolescents (N = 1607) at the end of the first year of the pandemic in relation to these factors. Data were collected with an electronic s...

The COVID-19 pandemic has shown varying effects on adolescents’ mental health, psychosocial functioning, risk behaviours, and victimisation. This study aims to examine the changes reported by a sample of Swedish adolescents (N=1607) at the end of the first year of the pandemic in relation to these factors. Data was collected with an electronic surv...

This work studied self-reports from adolescents on how the COVID-19 pandemic has changed their behaviors, relationships, mood, and victimization. Data collection was conducted between September 2020 and February 2021 in five countries (Sweden, the USA, Serbia, Morocco, and Vietnam). In total, 5114 high school students (aged 15 to 19 years, 61.8% fe...

Background Individuals with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can experience obstacles in traditional health care situations due to difficulties associated with their impairment. Objective This controlled study aims to investigate the feasibility of an internet-based support and coaching interventio...

BACKGROUND Individuals with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can experience obstacles in traditional health care situations due to difficulties associated with their impairment. OBJECTIVE This controlled study aims to investigate the feasibility of an internet-based support and coaching interventio...

Abstract Background Studies on mental health are scarce from Arab countries, especially studies focusing on adolescents. In addition to the neurobiological and physiological changes that occur during adolescent development, psychological, societal and cultural influences have strong effects on adolescents’ behavior and on their somatic and mental h...

Health care for people with severe mental illness is often divided into physical health care and mental health care despite the importance of a holistic approach to caring for the whole person. Mental health nurses have an important role not only in preventing ill health, but also in promoting health, to improve the overall health among people with...

People with severe mental illness (SMI) experience an increased risk of physical ill health and premature death, which appears to be partly related to unhealthy lifestyle habits. The aim of this study was to describe the distribution of health-related lifestyle habits and perceived health among people with severe mental illness. A further aim was t...

Background Substance use is linked to biological, environmental, and social factors. This study provides insights on protective and risk factors for drug dependence in two Moroccan, high-risk, male samples. Methods Data from the “Mental and Somatic Health without borders” (MeSHe) survey were utilized in the present study. The MeSHe survey assesses...

Background: There is a great demand for non-medical treatment and support targeting the needs of adolescents and young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). There is also a lack of qualitative studies providing in-depth insight into these individuals' own experiences within this area. The c...

The aim of this study was to elucidate the meaning of the lived experience of lifestyle changes as perceived by people with severe mental illness (SMI). People with SMI who have experience in managing lifestyle changes were interviewed (n = 10). The interviews were analyzed with a phenomenological hermeneutic approach. The findings reveal three the...

Background: Everyday life in a family with a young person with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and/or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), is multifaceted and may be a burden to the caregivers. The aim was to explore experiences of the caregiver situation, and how they were affected when the young persons received Internet-Based Support...

Purpose: To evaluate a person-centered intervention, directed to siblings with a brother or sister newly diagnosed with cancer that combines education, learning and reflection about cancer. Method: Qualitative methods with pre- and post-intervention semi-structured interviews were conducted. Fourteen siblings aged 9-22 years participated. A qual...

This study focuses on the everyday life of young persons with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). There are follow-up studies describing ADHD, and ASD in adults, and residual impairments that affect life. Few qualitative studies have been conducted on the subject of their experiences of everyday life,...

Mental illness is increasing worldwide, while society's response seems to be a trend toward narrower and more specialized mental health care. This development is creating great demands on mental health nurses to include a health promotion perspective in care and support of persons with mental illness. A health promotion perspective emphasizes coope...

The aim of this study was to explore how young (16-25 year old) informal carers of a person with a mental illness experience and use support. In a mixed method approach, we interviewed 12 young carers, and 241 completed a self-administered questionnaire. While the young carers strive to maintain control, their main support seems to be others in the...

Accessible summary The burden of caring for a person with mental illness has been transferred to families and close friends. Daily life for young informal carers is unpredictable and they need to stay alert and prepared for events beyond their control. Young informal carers are concerned young adults who support a family member or friend unconditio...

This study aims to elucidate, from the children's perspective, the meaning for family life of a parent suffering a major depression disorder. Eight children and young adults were interviewed. Phenomenological-hermeneutic analysis generated two themes: (1) "Being a rescuing observer" with the subthemes, "Being attentive" and "Being considerate," and...

The aim was to elucidate the meaning of major depression in family life from the viewpoint of an ill parent. Background. Major depression according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders is common and may appear repeatedly over several years, and affects family life. Depression in parents has a negative impact on family function a...

The aim of this study was to describe the ways of living with major depression in families. Seven families with an adult member who suffered major depression participated, in all 18 participants. Data were collected from seven narrative group interviews, one with each family. A qualitative thematic content analysis was used and the text was coded a...

Major depression challenges the ways of living for both individuals and families. The aim of this study was to describe what happens and how to manage major depression in a family. The case in this paper is a family with a mother who is suffering major depression and her son and daughter. Narrative interviews and qualitative content analysis were c...